Locations: Brookside Close
According to the book ‘Life on the Close’, Phil Redmond explains that as part of the creation of the soap, it was decided to buy six real houses to form a permanent set. At the time there was a planned development on Lord Sefton’s old estate in Liverpool. Phil met with the builders and explained his ideas and saw the site plans. One particular cul-de-sac stood out which had a brook running next to it (hence the name!).
A deal was reached with the builders to buy the six houses and transform them into filming sets, along with another three houses for office-space, three for all the technical equipment and one more for a canteen. At the time they would have cost approximately £25,000 each.
At first there was no central heating in the houses, with the thought that the filming lights would give off enough heat. However the cast and crew were proved wrong and shivered for months, so eventually heating was installed. Garages were also later added to numbers 8, 9 and 10 – although they were mainly used to store more equipment.
Over the years there have various cosmetic changes to the interior and exterior of the houses as each family has come and gone along with extra foliage on the close. In 1991 a new pathway was added between numbers 8 and 9 to lead off to the Brookside Parade. In reality it just went to a dead end, with the Parade actually filmed some miles away at a completely different set.
Round the corner from the close there was a security hut and barrier to stop people from disrupting filming, but once the show ended and the houses were renovated into just ordinary houses, that was removed.
As of 2023, the close still exists and now just consists of normal houses, but many fans still make the pilgrimage to West Derby in Liverpool to reminisce over famous moments that took place over it’s 21 year history.
Number 5
1982 – 1989 – The Grants
1989 – 1994 – The Rogers
1994 – Simon Howe (The Cult)
1994 – 1995 – Barry Grant
1995 – Carl and Sarah Banks
1995 – 2001 – The Johnsons
1995 – 1997 – Thomas ‘Sinbad’ Sweeney
2002 – 2003 – The Gordons
Number 6
1982 – 1984 – Alan Partridge & Samantha Davis
1984 – 1985 – Harry and Edna Cross
1985 – 1989 – Harry Cross & Ralph Hardwick
1990 – 1993 – The Johnsons
1993 – 1995 – David and Jean Crosbie
1995 – 1997 – Jacqui Dixon, Katie Rogers, and Rachel Jordache
1997 – 1998 – Ron Dixon and David Crosbie
1998 – 2000 – The Shadwicks
2000 – 2003 – The Hiltons
Number 7
1983 – 1984 – Harry and Edna Cross
1984 – 1985 – Sandra Maghie, Pat Hancock & Kate Moses
1985 – 1987 – Sandra Maghie, Pat Hancock and Terry Sullivan
1987 – 1989 – The Rogers
1989 – 1990 – The Chois
1990 – 2002 – The Farnhams (Max & Patricia/Susannah/Jacqui)
2002 – 2003 – The Dixons
Number 8
1982 – 1990 – The Collins
1990 – 1993 – The Dixons
1993 – 1997 – Ron Dixon & Bev McLoughlin
1997 – 1998 – The O’Learys and Sinbad
1998 – 2000 – The Musgroves
2000 – 2002 – Mike and Rachel, Ron and Anthea Dixon
2002 – 2003 – Max and Jacqui Farnham
2003 – Jack Michaelson
Number 9
1982 – 1983 – Heather and Roger Huntington
1983 – 1986 – Heather Haversham (Maiden name)
1986 – Heather and Nicholas Black
1987 – Jonathan Gordon-Davies and Laura Wright
1987 – 1990 – Jonathan with Terry Sullivan as lodger
1990 – 1992 – Terry and Sue Sullivan
1992 – 1994 – The Harrisons
1994 – 1996 – The Banks
1996 – 1998 – The Simpsons
1998 – 1999 – Ollie Simpson and Eleanor Kitson
1999 – 2000 – Lindsey Corkhill
1999 – 2000 – Nathan, Darren, Victoria, Jacqui
2000 – 2003 – The Murrays
Number 10
1982 – 1983 – Gavin and Petra Taylor
1983 – 1985 – The Jacksons
1985 – Terry Sullivan and Michelle Jones
1985 – 1993 – The Corkhills (Billy and family)
1993 – 1995 – The Jordaches and Sinbad
1995 – 2003 – The Corkhills (Jimmy and family)